Phillies’ Slumping Leadoff Man Bryson Stott Gets Vote of Confidence From Rob Thomson originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
This season, the Philadelphia Phillies have soared to a 37-25 start, placing them second in the NL East. While most things have gone right for Philadelphia, there are a few things that simply have not. Aside from the historical Jesus Luzardo bombardment, the Phillies’ few offensive woes stem from the lack of production off the bats of Brandon Marsh, Max Kepler, and Bryson Stott.
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Of these three, Stott is the least concerning, but given that he is the Phillies’ leadoff man and thus has the most opportunities at the plate, this warrants some added worry. Stott popped out in a big spot on Wednesday, adding to the concern. However, one person who doesn’t share this concern is Phillies’ manager Rob Thomson.
“I thought we were going to score (in the fifth),” he said in a postgame interview. “Bases loaded and one out with 1 and 2 guys coming up. Stott had a good at-bat. Long at-bat, but he just popped it up.”
Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Bryson Stott (5) stands on the field with manager Rob Thomson during World Series workouts at Minute Maid Park.Troy Taormina-Imagn Images
Despite the fact that Stott is responsible for setting the tune of the Phillies’ offense, Thomson still maintains the utmost confidence in him. When asked if he would move him down the lineup, Thomson responded with this:
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“I’m pretty committed, you know. The length of the at-bats are good. When we first put him in there, he was really productive. He’s kind of cooled off a little bit. There’s a trust factor there that as long as the at-bats look good and they’re long, I’m good with it.”
In the following game, Stott would go 0-for-4, bringing his stat line down to .244/.311/.347 with four home runs. While his numbers are nothing to scoff at, hitting leadoff is likely better-suited for someone with a higher on-base percentage. For instance, Kyle Schwarber, who was their leadoff man prior to this season, maintains an on-base percentage of .387.
Related: Phillies Bullpen Sends Strong Message to Orion Kerkering Amid Early Struggles
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 6, 2025, where it first appeared.